PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE FOR JULY
Joan Sampieri, President
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Robin Scully, photographer
The strength of our democracy depends on the informed participation of all its citizens. You can read a little history of our government below.
Since it was founded in 1934, The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area has worked to promote citizen involvement. Our efforts are as important today as they were then.
We have a full year ahead of us, and because democracy is not a spectator sport, I’m inviting you to join us in one (or more) of the issues we’ll be tackling. Within this newsletter, you’ll find information on the Centennial Celebration, our plans for educating members and the community about the importance of the Census, educating and registering voters and a host of other opportunities.
Supporting the democracy that began so many years ago requires the involvement of each of us regardless of our gender, race, creed, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or political affiliation – we welcome your participation.
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A A LITTLE HISTORY
In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
Those are the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence, signed 243 years ago by members of the Second Continental Congress representing the thirteen colonies.
During the war for independence that followed, the colonies adopted the Articles of Confederation that defined them as separate entities with a joint legislature but not the judicial or presidential branches that make up our government today. It wasn’t until March 4, 1789, when George Washington was inaugurated and Congress met for the first time that the vision of a United States government was realized. The Supreme Court met for the first time nearly a year later on February 2, 1790. Although that government’s first constitution declared that “all men are created equal,” our “more perfect union” followed the conventions of the time, believing that men, mostly those who were property owners and white, knew what was best for the country. It would take a civil war to begin the decades-long process to change that. For a history of when the right to vote was won by African Americans, Native Americans, Chinese, Japanese, and Asian Indians, women, and others, click here:
The League of Women Voters, emerging from the 72-year struggle for women’s right to vote, was founded by Carrie Chapman Catt in 1920 during the convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. The convention was held just six months before the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, giving women the right to vote. The League began as a "mighty political experiment" designed to help 20 million women carry out their new responsibilities as voters. It encouraged them to use their new power to participate in shaping public policy. From the beginning, the League has been an activist, grassroots organization whose leaders believed that citizens should play a critical role in advocacy. It was then, and is now, a nonpartisan organization…
On November 5, 1918, Michigan voters provided women of their state with total suffrage. … On April 4, 1919, at the 33rd convention of the Michigan Equal Suffrage Association held in Grand Rapids, the members voted to become the Michigan League of Women Voters… Belle Brotherton of Detroit was elected as its first president.
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From our Brighton/Howell Area Unit
LWV Ann Arbor Howell/Brighton Area hosted our first fundraiser on Saturday, July 15. We held a plant sale at the Brighton Farmers Market. Four members from the group supplied the sale with over 200 plants from their personal gardens. Seven of our members showed up to work the six hour event. There were a wide variety of plants from sun to shade loving, including hostas, herbs, shasta daisy, spiderwort, Japanese iris, day lily's, baptisia, sedum, ground covers, cardinal vine and more. One of the gardeners brought a wonderful selection of native Michigan plants propagated from her woodland garden. Among them were rue anemone, trillium, jack-in-the-pulpit, soloman's seal and dutchman's breeches, . Another of our members crafted herb markers from vintage silverplate flatware to sell.
The perennial sale was a big hit with local market goers. It was a fun event allowing us to meet and chat with the locals from our community. We were very pleased to have far exceeded our sales expectations. There was a hearty interest in the League and what we do. We are planning to make this an annual event. Any members who wish to be a part of next year's sale are encouraged.
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From our Tecumseh Area Unit
The Tecumseh/Lenawee County Unit elected their Board and has formed a Board of Directors:
Chair
: Jan Salsberry
Co-Chair
: Carolyn Vertin
Treasurer
: Jeanne Knight
Secretary
: Louise Salamin
Appointed:
Outreach/Advocacy
: Anne Walker
Voter Services
: Co-chairs: Kathy Forgiel and Jane McKie
Hospitality Co-chairs
: Jan Moore and Judy Lyttle
Communications
: Lynne Hebner
Upcoming Events:
August 28
th
at 6:30 pm
. Census presentation with Margaret Leary at the Weber Center in Adrian. Working with the Dominican Sisters on this presentation to reach into the Hispanic Community of Lenawee County
September 18
th
: Scott Merillat from the Road Commission at Lunch and Learn. Basil Boys at noon
October 24
th
: Lenawee County Health Fair: table for Census information and Voter Registration from 8am-noon.
See you there!
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US Supreme Court Ruling on Redistricting
Judy Karandjeff, LWVMI President, released the following statement
MORE
U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Census Question
On June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration's plan to include a question on the 2020 census that inquires about a person's citizenship status. But the issue is not settled, because the U.S. Supreme Court sent the case back to a lower court for consideration saying that the administration's explanation for adding such a question is insufficient. We will have to watch to see what happens next! Here is the press release from LWVUS.
MORE
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There's an election August 6! For information about what will be on your ballot, go to:
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“Know Your County Government” Series Begins on WEMU
“Know Your County Government” kicked off on June 3 with an interview with County Administrator Greg Dill. Hosted by WEMU’s Lisa Barry, the interview was the first in a series with Washtenaw County staff airing during the WEMU 89.1 FM Monday afternoon drive time show, "All Things Considered."
After a brief introduction of himself and his background, Dill touched on a variety of issues, including his primary responsibilities as county administrator, the reporting structure of the county, basic county demographics, and revenues. He highlighted the many familiar and not-so-well-known services the county provides to residents, and gave examples of how the county works in coordination with cities, villages and/or townships.
“I’m excited to help raise awareness for the work that we do,” Dill said. “Partnering with the League of Women Voters and WEMU creates a perfect opportunity to let our residents know we’re here to serve them and helps us to be sure we’re meeting the needs of those we serve through our departmental offerings and the programs we offer.”
A second interview aired on June 17 with Ginny Trocchio, Superintendent of Park Planning and Natural Areas for Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission. Trocchio gave an overview of the Natural Area Preservation Program (NAPP) and explained the evolution and goals of that program.
The series “Know Your County Government” is part of the bi-weekly 8-minute interview segments called "In the Public Interest." At the invitation of LWV partnering with WEMU, Washtenaw County staff agreed to participate in the series with an eye to educating listeners about the basics of county government and the services it provides.
The pre-recorded interviews air once a month during “All Things Considered” weekdays from 4-7 p.m. on 89.1 WEMU. Once the interviews have aired, they continue to be accessible on the WEMU website and are archived on the
LWVAAA website
.
"The participation of Washtenaw County staff in the WEMU series supports the League's mission to educate and inform voters," said Susan Wooley, Director of Communications for the LWV--Ann Arbor Area. "County government often doesn't get as much media attention as city or state government, and this will help remedy that situation."
Upcoming guests include Director of Children’s Services Lisa Greco, and Washtenaw Health Officer Ellen Rabinowitz.
Be sure to tune in, and if there’s a segment of county government
you’d
like to learn more about, email the League of Women Voters at
league@lwvannarbor.org
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CENSUS 2020: CALL FOR EDUCATION VOLUNTEERS
“Count Every Person. Once.
In the Right Place.”
The Census is critical. It will determine how many Congressional seats each state gets, where legislative district lines are drawn, how billions of federal dollars are distributed, and what essential demographic information will go to governments and private agencies.
Want to help achieve a complete count in the 2020 Census?
Our PowerPoint presentation titled “
The 2020 Census: Count Every Person. Once. In the Right Place
” is ready to go. Now we need people to present and audiences to hear.
Margaret Leary is the Census Lead for LWVAAA and is recruiting volunteers to:
1.
Enlist area organizations to host the League’s educational presentation about the importance of the Census.
You will get information about where we did Redistricting Education and also find new organizations. These could be church groups, libraries, neighborhood associations or so many more.
2.
Make presentations, using a PowerPoint show developed by LWVMI.
[League members only] You will be trained, receive enough background information to answer basic questions, learn where to refer people to find answers you don’t know, and get handouts for your audience.
Margaret will coordinate the presentations, provide handouts, and bring equipment (projector and screen) to you as needed. She will keep a spreadsheet to track events, presenters, and number of attendees.
Contact Margaret
if you are interested, would like to suggest a host organization, or have questions:
mleary@umich.edu
,
call or text 734-277-2544.
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The 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
1920
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Centennial Preparations Moving Along!
It has been nearly 100 years since women won the right to vote in the U.S. and there’s some great plans in the works to celebrate the centennial!
Here’s what’s being planned so far:
Liberty Awakes in Washtenaw County: When Women Won the Vote:
A commemorative historical exhibit, that recognizes the individuals and groups in Washtenaw County who raised their voices and aired their conflicting views about expanding voting rights to women during the crucial decade of 1910 - 1920. The exhibit will be displayed in libraries and museums across the county.
NOTE
: Volunteers are needed to help with updating & maintaining the exhibit materials and serving as docents at the AADL.
Concert at the Ark:
Although it’s still in the early planning stages, we’re hoping for a fantastic celebration a la Woodstock for Suffragists!
The History of LWVAAA:
Doris Lemcke has agreed to write the history of LWVAAA from 1976 - present. Doris is a published, professional writer as well as a League member. We are thrilled that she has agreed to do this.
To volunteer for any of these great events, contact
Nancy Schewe
at
njschewe@gmail.com
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LWV of Michigan
State Convention Highlights
On Friday, May 17th, delegates from the Ann Arbor League, the Brighton/Howell and Tecumseh Units joined women and men from around the state for the
LWV of Michigan convention
in Livonia. The convention began with an update on legal issues followed by a “dine-around dinner.” Several additional members attended the one-day workshops offered on Saturday. The sessions were packed with information and a chance to talk with other League members about their work. Congresswoman
Rashida Tlaib
spoke at breakfast on Saturday; LWVUS President Chris Carson spoke at lunch, and our dinner speaker was Elaine Weiss, the author of
The Women’s Hour.
In between, we attended a choice of two workshops of six that covered the ERA, Water Quality, the US Census (presented by our own Margaret Leary); Voter Services Basics; League Best Practices; and Engaging Members. We also approved the state budget for the next two years, amended the bylaws to change when newly elected board members begin service (from immediately following the convention to July 1), and to change the composition of local and MAL league delegates to the state convention). We also approved the following: The Board recommends
a new study
on the Structure and Process of the Michigan Legislature limited to exploring the ramifications on democracy, if any, posed by lame duck sessions and developing guidelines, if warranted, regarding the type of bills and how such bills should be handled in a lame duck session. We agreed to retain all existing positions.
It’s tradition at the convention for the state to recognize the accomplishments of members who are nominated by their local Leagues. This year, Ann Arbor members
Donna Crudder
, and
Nan Elder
were honored as “
Belle Ringers
.”
Nancy Schewe
received the state League's second highest award, the
Helen Milliken Award for Leadership
, and
Sue Smith
received the League’s highest recognition for her work, the
Belle Brotherton Award
, named for Michigan’s very first League President.
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Line 5 News
LWV MI supports SHUTTING LINE 5 DOWN.
The issue is now in court. We NEED YOU to TAKE ACTION!
LWV MI has studied the issue of Line 5 extensively. President Judy Karandjeff summarized our current position best by saying that we need Governor Whitmer to protect our Great Lakes from a Line 5 spill and “not give in to pressure from a foreign oil company and their allies who want to continue profiteering from the exploitation of our natural resources. The threats to the Great Lakes and climate posed by this pipeline are simply too great to accept.”
Despite campaign promises to decommission Line 5, Governor Whitmer entered negotiations with Enbridge about a tunnel. However, the talks broke down because of her insistence on a shorter timeline for getting Line 5 out of the water. On June 6, 2019 Enbridge filed a lawsuit in the Michigan Court of Claims to essentially reinstate the tunnel deal hastily made with Governor Snyder during his last days as Governor. On June 27, 2019, in a one-two legal punch, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel not only filed a motion to dismiss the Enbridge lawsuit, but simultaneously took the first step to get Line 5 decommissioned by filing a lawsuit to find that Enbridge’s continued operation of the Straits Pipelines under the easement granted by the State in 1953 violates the public trust doctrine, is a common law public nuisance, and violates the Michigan Environmental Protection Act because it is likely to cause pollution impairment and destruction of water and other natural resources.
It is critical that Governor Whitmer hear from as many of us (and our neighbors and friends) as possible.
Please call the Governor at (517) 373-3400 or email her at
whitmer@michigan.gov
to clearly say that we expect her to protect our Great Lakes and to
“support revoking Enbridge’s easement and decommissioning the Line 5 pipeline immediately”
. It would also help to call Attorney General Dana Nessel and let her know that you appreciate her consistent support for decommissioning Line 5. Nessel’s number is (517) 335-7622
Refresher about Line 5 and more background
Line 5 is the 66 year old, anchor dented, failing pipeline which cuts a 645 mile shortcut across Michigan and returns back to Canada the vast majority of the 22.7 million gallons of petroleum products it carries. The critical stretch is the 4.5 mile stretch in the Straits of Mackinac which is “the worst place in the Great Lakes for an oil spill”. Enbridge has been proceeding with $40M in pre-construction work on the tunnel it wants to build, and is mounting a major PR campaign. Governor Whitmer is feeling pressure from many to keep Line 5 open, including the Governor of Ohio. So, it is more important than ever to contact Governor Whitmer to let her know that you support her decommissioning Line 5. While the oil and propane our U.P. neighbors use can be replaced for $.03-.05 per gallon, our Great Lakes economy and way of life cannot.
League member Terri Wilkerson is available to talk to groups about Line 5 and the League's position on the issue. She can be contacted at
terri@a3homes.com or 734-355-7799.
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LWV-AAA Events on the Calendar
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Tuesday, July 23, 2019
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
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Downtown Library 343 S Fifth Avenue Ann Arbor
Conference Room A (fourth floor)
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LWVAAA Board Meeting
The public is welcome and there will be time for public comments at the beginning of the agenda.
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Friday, July 26, 2019
Noon - 2:00 p.m.
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Cedars of Dexter Clubhouse
411 Cedars Lane, Dexter, MI
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Ann Arbor Area July Lunch & Learn
.
League member Margaret Leary will talk about the 2020 Census, what will happen, what the League is doing to ensure a complete count and how you can be involved.
Sandwich and salad or vegetarian lunch with coffee and soda at $7 cash or BYO lunch.
Seating is limited to 30 and Reservations are required: Click
HERE to sign up.
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NO LUNCH & LEARN IN AUGUST
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Friday, September 27, 2019
noon - 2 pm
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Cedars of Dexter
411 Cedars Lane, Dexter
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Ann Arbor Area Lunch & Learn.
We'll be reading and discussing "The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR's Secretary of Labor and His Moral Conscience." Even if you can't join us, you might want to pick up a copy of the book written by Kirstin Downey. It's a fascinating look at some little-known history of the New Deal.
Sandwich and salad or vegetarian lunch with coffee and soda at $7 cash or BYO lunch.
Seating is limited to 30 and Reservations are required: signup genius form will be generated at the end of August.
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Tuesday, November 5, 2019
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Not a member? Wish to join?
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Message from your LWVAAA Treasurer
When you join the Ann Arbor Area league, you become a member of the Michigan State league and the League of Woman Voters U.S. (the national league.)
Dues are $70 for an individual or $100 for a household and are designated as follows:
Individual dues:
LWVAAA retains $15, LWVMI receives $23 and LWVUS receives $32.
Household memberships:
LWVAAA retains $22.50, LWVMI receives 32.50 and we send $45 to LWVUS.
You can pay via
PayPal
or
by
printing out the
dues renewal form
and mailing it with a check
to LWV-AAA, P.O. Box 3832, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-3832.
Our local league is the front line of non-partisan support for our mission of
Empowering Voters / Defending Democracy
Your dues support: our website, email newsletter, voter education, advertising and meeting and program expenses.
*NOTE: If you joined or have paid dues since July 1, 2018 you are paid through December 31, 2019.
Thanks – Betty Bishop, Treasurer
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LWVAAA LEADERSHIP TEAM
OFFICERS
President: Joan Sampieri
Vice President: Donna Crudder
Treasurer: Betty Bishop
Secretary: Sue Smereck
DIRECTORS
Roxane Chan, Program
Diana Neering, Development
Geoff Smereck, Voter Service
Barbara Brown, Membership
Carolyn Madden, Advocacy
Susan Wooley, Communications
Jan Salsberry, Representative, Tecumseh Area
Ellen Lafferty, Representative, Brighton/Howell Area
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Dee Dishon
Paige Silence
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Mission Statement
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization,
encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government,
works to increase understanding of major public policy issues,
and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
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